Get a shirt
with all convenient dispatch, that your nakedness may not
henceforward give offence to travelling gentlewomen, especially
maidens in years.'
So saying, he put a guinea into the hand of the poor fellow, who
stood staring at him in silence, with his mouth wide open, till
the landlord pushed him out of the room.
In the afternoon, as our aunt stept into the coach, she observed,
with some marks of satisfaction, that the postilion, who rode
next to her, was not a shabby wretch like the ragamuffin who had
them into Marlborough. Indeed, the difference was very
conspicuous: this was a smart fellow, with a narrow brimmed hat,
with gold cording, a cut bob, a decent blue jacket, leather-breaches,
and a clean linen shirt, puffed above the waist-band.
When we arrived at the Castle, on Spin-hill, where we lay, this
new postilion was remarkably assiduous in bringing in the loose
parcels; and, at length, displayed the individual countenance of
Humphry Clinker, who had metamorphosed himself in this manner, by
relieving from pawn part of his own clothes, with the money he
had received from Mr Bramble.
Howsoever pleased the rest of the company were with such a
favourable change in the appearance of this poor creature it
soured on the stomach of Mrs Tabby, who had not yet digested the
affront of his naked skin -- She tossed her nose in disdain,
saying, she supposed her brother had taken him into favour,
because he had insulted her with his obscenity: that a fool and
his money were soon parted; but that if Matt intended to take the
fellow with him to London, she would not go a foot further that
way -- My uncle said nothing with his tongue, though his looks were
sufficiently expressive; and next morning Clinker did not appear,
so that we proceeded without further altercation to Salthill,
where we proposed to dine -- There, the first person that came to
the side of the coach, and began to adjust the footboard, was no
other than Humphry Clinker -- When I handed out Mrs Bramble, she
eyed him with a furious look, and passed into the house -- My uncle
was embarrassed, and asked him peevishly, what had brought him
hither? The fellow said, his honour had been so good to him, that
he had not the heart to part with him; that he would follow him
to the world's end, and serve him all the days of his life,
without fee or reward.
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